A Sulcata Tortoise (Geochelone sulcata) emerging from a burrow in its enclosure. of the African Spurred Tortoise (Geochelone sulcata) A Sulcata Here, A Sulcata There, A Sulcata Everywhere text and photography by Dave Friend, President, CTTC, Santa Barbara-Ventura Chapter n 1986 my wife and I fell in The breeder said to feed them pumpkin All the stucco along the side of the house love with the Sulcata Tor- and alfalfa. There was not a lot of diet infor- as far as they could ram was broken. The toise and decided to purchase mation available then. We did not have good male more than the female did the greater a pair. Yes, purchase. Twenty-three years luck with the breeder’s diet. They preferred damage. Our youngest son had the outside ago there were not many Sulcatas available. the Bermuda grass, rose petals and hibis- corner bedroom upstairs, every night after We found a “BREEDER” in Riverside, CA. cus flowers in the back yard. We gave them he would go to bed I could here him holler- Made the contact and brought the pair home other treats once in a while: apples, squash, ing at that %#@* turtle. The Sulcata would toI Ventura, CA. So began an adventure that and other vegetables. Pumpkin never was start ramming the side of the house. I would we still enjoy today. high on their list of treats! They also loved to go down and move him, put things in his We were told they were about seven years drink from a running hose laid on the lawn. way, lock him in his heated house. Then he old; the male, captive raised, the female, wild Our yard was about three thousand would ram that trying to get out. He also caught. The female’s carapace was smooth square feet. Thirty-seven thousand square turned over the barbeque, broke the wood but angled sharply from the front to the feet is too small!!! These animals, once they fence and any thing else he could ram. Oh back. The male was a little larger and his car- became comfortable with their new home, yeah – I should have mentioned he did not apace nice and smooth. The female was very promptly began to destroy it. The worst like to go to bed at night, I think he just shy and reclusive, and we did not see her damage started at about thirty pounds. The stayed up to pester my son. eat or come out for several weeks. The male strength of these torts for their size is hercu- explored everything right away. lean to say the least. Two eighty-pound Sulcatas and humidity stuff and of were way too big to keep in our course the almighty computer, small backyard. By now (1999) better glue and tape. Oh, and the environmental stress for better drugs. these big torts and us started It is not my intent with the taking its toll. Not a blade or rest of this article to tell you sprig of green left, the grocery there is an absolute right or bill now seemed to exceed that wrong way to raise your torts. I for the family and the torts cer- am relating my personal expe- tainly had a healthier diet! riences with Sulcatas over the After a lot of discussion we last twenty three years. I have realized it was not fair to the learned and am still learning animals to keep them so con- a lot. Most of my knowledge fined. We could not find anyone has come from the animals with a large area to keep them. themselves! As I just stated … What to do? I heard about observe, observe, observe. some research on Sulcatas at Let’s start with what comes the San Diego Zoo. I called, out the back end to see if and yes they were interested what goes in the front is good. and would adopt our babies for Right now we are not taking any more res- Check the solid droppings their Wild Animal Park. May 16th, 1999 we cues. I do not want to overcrowd the area. very closely, when fresh (come on, don’t be made the trip from Ventura, CA. to the San When the economy turns around I hope to squeamish) pick it up pull it apart, and, yes, Diego, CA. Zoo. And I am here to tell you a be able to enclose another acre and continue smell it! Is it firm? It should be, with a lot couple hour trip with two Sulcatas in a vehi- rescues. There are now so many Sulcatas of long fibers (unless they are eating short cle can be a bit odorific!! that need to be rehomed and just not enough grass). It should not smell rotten, but kind of Later that year we bought twelve acres in places with large enough area for them. A like “dark green.” Runny is usually not good. the San Antonio Creek Valley of Ojai, CA. quarter acre per animal is about right. They Could be too many store-bought greens, During the last six years we have rescued require a lot of exercise, a lot of grazing area early spring weeds, or too many cactus pads. over fifty Sulcatas for many different -rea with good water, mud holes, shade, and pro- Observe and adjust their diet accordingly. sons. The most prevalent reason: “I did not tection from predators and weather. Let some droppings dry in the sun and know it was going to get so big and destruc- The African Sulcatas are a magnificent inspect them the same way. You may find tive!! Our yard is just too small and he is species, sturdy, stubborn survivors of many seeds, small stones, and bits of plastic. You starting to ram everything.” different climate changes. Because they are may find small bones and fur from field We have over an acre enclosed for our Sul- so adaptable, the Sulcata can endure a lot of mice and an unfortunate bird now and then. catas. Two heated mini barns, one 16'L x not-so-good animal husbandry. When you feed different foods, do the same 6'W x 6'H and one 14'L x 8'W x 6'H. Most of I grew up in western Missouri and, as a thing and note the differences. Also note the torts come in every night by themselves. kid of five years old, I was fascinated with how long it takes for different foods to pass When we get a new resident, it takes about box turtles. I would pick up the injured thru. Food, weather, and environment will two weeks to train them to come in. Our ones hit by cars and try to put them back make a difference. Okay, so some of you will winters can be as low as 14°F, the summers’ together. The ones that did not make it I actually do this. Now what? Using a long- highs can be in 120’s. The torts learn quickly took apart, then always buried them fac- fiber grass diet as your litmus test, you will where the heat is. ing the east so they could see the morning know when they are not getting enough fiber sun. My grandfather (part in their diet. Adjust what is going in the front. Native American) lived in Now the liquid stuff: the white goop is the Ozark Hills. He could urates, the salts of uric acid. It is natural and not read or write and lived should be the consistency of sour cream. If off the land, but he was oh it gets lumpy or grainy, start checking what’s so intelligent about life! going in the front end. Make sure the torts He told me to listen to have plenty of fresh water to drink and to the earth and the animals soak if they want. Some torts will drink and and observe all of nature. pee a lot, some drink and do not pee as much. Then I would learn what I Some do not drink as much and hold their needed to know. fluid. No right or wrong, each tort is differ- Sixty-three years later ent. The fluid, in my experience, is about the I am still picking them color of weak tea and pretty much smells like up, putting them together Sulcata pee! The diet can sometimes change and taking them apart! the color. Now I have a few more I have some torts that soak and drink modern tools to use: a everyday, they do not pee everyday. Some I microscope, scales, heat have never seen soak but they do drink from 2 a running hose or water dish. A couple of animals and they will tell you what they torts go to the water hole (mud hole) only to need. The torts also get grape leaves and sling mud on their backs. One female sits in some of the grapes. The grapes grow on the the water hole, drinks, makes bubbles and fence and they keep the grapes trimmed as slings mud. She will do this for an hour or high as they can reach. They also eat mul- more. It is her beauty treatment time and she berry and sycamore leaves, pumpkin and does not want anyone else to join her! I use pumpkin leaves, wild purslane, amaranth, ratchet type sprinklers so they can play in and some fruits once in awhile. Note: the rain; they love the rain and the mud they pumpkin in itself is not a dewormer, it is can sling on their backs.